


One Chance/Second Chance

by GretchenSinister



Series: My Top 20 Short Gen Fics [12]
Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 03:44:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18652228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GretchenSinister/pseuds/GretchenSinister
Summary: Original Prompt: "Somehow Jack and the other guardians find out how Pitch became the King of Nightmares, and proceed to drag him kicking and screaming back to humanity, whether he likes it or not.I would prefer a non-evil Pitch. His lessons are harsh but no less necessary than the ones the others teach. He has his duty too."Pitch Black is not pleased at all with how the Guardians are trying to restore him. When Sandy guards him at night, he asks him why, and gets a better answer than he expected. NOTE: I put gen on this, but Pitch and Sandy still have a deep and unique relationship here. It’s a flavor of blacksand, just not sexual or romantic.





	One Chance/Second Chance

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr on 6/12/2015.

“Why are you letting this happen?” The voice was Pitch’s, more variable than Kozmotis’, just a bit higher, just a bit smoother, and far, far more familiar. The comparison was easy. Kozmotis’ voice had been heard earlier that day, by Sandy and all the other Guardians. “Don’t you remember? You don’t want him back any more than I do. I know you remember. I felt it. When you were within me.”  
  
Sandy, watching by the bedside in the Tooth Palace, raised his eyebrows slightly.  _You could read me that closely, could you?_  
  
“Well, am I right? I tried to read you that closely…I used to be able to.” His smile was sharp and fragile. All Pitch. “Obsession never fades.”  
  
 _Is that what they’re calling it these days? Words are so slippery…_  
  
“If you think it could be called anything else, why are you letting this happen?” Pitch asked again. “Is it revenge? I’ll accept revenge, but the others don’t think of it that way. They think they’re helping me. Have you even tried to explain that…I’m different from him?” Pitch frowned. He wanted to look away, but he wanted more to know whatever Sandy had to tell him. “I know you could, if you wanted.”  
  
 _I haven’t explained that you’re different from him,_  Sandy signs.  _I haven’t argued on your behalf at all._  
  
“And why should you, indeed?” Pitch’s voice was bitter. “I—”  
  
 _If I felt safe doing so, I would._  
  
“What? I certainly can’t hurt you now, and if you defended me, of course I wouldn’t even try.”  
  
Sandy shook his head.  _Not you. You corrupted me already, Pitch._  He smiled a little.  _No one else understands my return. What if you let me go, still corrupted deep within, for you to take as an ally against the Guardians at some later time? Providing proof against this would be very inconvenient for me, I’m sure, especially at such a critical time for you._  
  
“Hmm.” Pitch turned his face toward the ceiling. “So I’ve fouled this up for myself on that front. Not very surprising, of course. So that’s why you haven’t explained about me and him. But why are you still letting them do this to me? It feels like…” He took a slow, deep breath. “It feels like I’m going to really be gone, when it’s done.”  
  
 _I know the feeling._  
  
Pitch laughed bitterly. “But you weren’t.”  
  
 _So neither will you._  
  
Pitch looked toward Sandy again, the process of turning his head taking far more time than it usually would have, though he moved as fast as he was able. “What?”  
  
Sandy stood up and walked toward the bed.  _I’m different from the man who knew Kozmotis. Understand? I’m dreams. Nothing stops me now. Sanderson could only come back if I was dying, and I don’t think I’ll ever be dying for long._  
  
“Is that why you don’t want him back?” Pitch said. “You, the you I know, only ever knew me.”  
  
Sandy raised his eyebrows.  _There are good reasons for not wanting him back. Even Sanderson knows. We know some of the same things. I’m not his enemy. Not sure he’s really there, either. Maybe just an old pattern._  
  
“Great.” Pitch rolled his eyes. “But Kozmotis is definitely here, and the Guardians are trying to bring him back, and you’re not stopping them. And he is my enemy. This is different from your situation. I can’t fight five Guardians at once. I’m going to really disappear.”  
  
Pitch could hear Sandy tapping his foot impatiently. He shook his head vehemently.  _It will hurt. Kozmotis will be back for a while. You can rest inside him. You’ll return soon._  
  
“Well, won’t that just be great fun for everybody. Then we can all go through this again, since they’ll decide they just need to try a little harder.”  
  
Sandy shook his head again.  _At this point they need to know who you were. Compare to how you are. See what world’s like without you._  
  
“Fear’s not important to them. It won’t work.”  
  
Sandy smiled as he shook his head.  _They only have one chance. After that, they try again, I’ll fight._  
  
“Oh.” Pitch couldn’t meet his eyes. “So  _I_  should stop fighting?”  
  
 _Couldn’t ask that._  Sandy rested his hand lightly on Pitch’s hair.  _Just wanted to answer your question._  
  
“I guess that’ll do,” Pitch said. “And I’m sorry I shot you. Unless it was the only way you had in order to find out what you told me tonight. Then I’m not.”  
  
 _Kozmotis would never say anything like that._  Sandy patted his hair and went to leave.  _Don’t wonder too much about why I prefer you._


End file.
